[Syty] Valve-Cover Gaskets...?

Sat Jun 30 12:02:14 CDT 2007

Funny, your message hit just as I was doing some last-minute research on that very project!  Without back-up transportation, I have to make sure I can start early enough to get done before sundown and assuming I can get a break from the regular rainfall we've been getting.

I thought I had all my parts and tools lined up for the job, but now as I review the tech-manual I'm wondering about the GASKET for the valve cover.

Traditional American motors up through the mid-80s use cheesy gaskets that cook onto the heads and usually come apart upon removal after a number of years; however, I was delighted to find the embedded-type plastic gasket on my '89 Trans Am heads.  You don't even have to be that careful removing the cover; the gasket remains fixed and resilient in its channel.  Will the Syclone valve covers be the same, or do I need to order up a new set of gaskets before I get those covers off?  The Great Unknown!  Anybody out there with the answer?

You can see my anxiety.  If I hadn't been unpleasantly SURPRISED so many times in the past by such little, petty crap that grinds everything to a halt I wouldn't be such a conservative fuddy-duddy today....

I've also got some shortcuts in mind for this job... I hardly ever do anything by the book anymore.  Most of those procedures are written for the paranoid.  I'll try to keep up the record of what I end up doing....

D.O.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Gary H 
  To: DOlivares 
  Cc: Steve Hatheway ; SYTY 
  Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2007 3:09 AM
  Subject: Re: [Syty] Re: SyTy

  Can you document/take pics of the valve stem seal R&R? I've been wanting 
  to do this for some time and I think I'll have time this summer to work 
  on the Ty.
  Gary

  DOlivares wrote:
  > Nope,
  >  
  > At least I don't think so.  The engine/turbo has never been apart such 
  > that I could have possibly left out a critical piece.  At better than 
  > 140k miles, there's no question that a complete overhaul is in order, 
  > but, recent smoke aside, it just runs so damn great!  Not enough 
  > reason for a tear-down....
  >  
  > I thought about a turbo leak from the oil-supply line but couldn't 
  > figure out the mechanism for so much oil to be getting into the 
  > exhaust, especially /only at certain idle-times/:  Only after coming 
  > off an extended cruise or burst if speed, at full operating temp (180 
  > as I recall), and the engine winds down to idle speed does the 
  > embarrassing smokescreen come up.  You should see all the dirt looks I 
  > get from those Prius-owners!
  >  
  > However, I recently found that if I can keep the rpm up over 1200 at 
  > stoplights and such, I can greatly minimize or even eliminate the 
  > smoke problem!  This technique, combined with fresh 10W40 oil, a can 
  > of /_STP_/ and a can of _/Restore/_, I only generate about 1/3 the 
  > volume of smoke as I did last week in the worst-case scenario.  What's 
  > more, now the smoke is practically ALL BLUE, whereas before it was 
  > mostly WHITE... the difference between burning traditional, 
  > mineral-based oil vs. Red Line synthetic...?  Who knows, after another 
  > couple of weeks with these additives, I may even be able to reduce all 
  > smoking to no more than one of my favorite Jamaican cigars! 
  >  
  > Meanwhile, I ordered a set of new valve-stem seals from RockAuto and 
  > next week expect to replace at least the driver's-side bank of units 
  > (the easier-to-remove valve cover), which theoretically should reduce 
  > at least 50% of the smoke and maybe keep things stable enough for me 
  > to wait to get another vehicle running, tagged, and insured so that I 
  > can totally decommission Ol' Reliable Syclone #773 and start on its 
  > dream-motor... titanium rods and all!
  >  
  > Stay tuned,
  >  
  > D.O.
  > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  >
  >     ----- Original Message -----
  >     *From:* Steve Hatheway <mailto:stevehatheway at thecrosbygroup.com>
  >     *To:* seravilo at netzero.net <mailto:seravilo at netzero.net>
  >     *Sent:* Monday, June 18, 2007 10:44 AM
  >     *Subject:* SyTy
  >
  >     Make sure you don't have a turbo seal out, they can real smoke alot.
  >     Steve
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >     Message: 1
  >     Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:38:03 -0500
  >     From: "DOlivares" <seravilo at netzero.net <mailto:seravilo at netzero.net>>
  >     Subject: [Syty] Roller Rockers...
  >     To: "SYTY" <syty at syty.org <mailto:syty at syty.org>>
  >     Message-ID: <004901c7aeed$d2047c60$2f406b43 at coresys1
  >     <mailto:004901c7aeed$d2047c60$2f406b43 at coresys1>>
  >     Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
  >
  >     My 'Clone's valve guides and/or seals have had it and I gotta do
  >     something before the EPA-cops give me a ticket!  After coming to a
  >     stop at a light or sign-- once the oil warms up... even 5W50!--
  >     after a cruise, I get ENVELOPED in a pillar of cloud that is
  >     reminiscent of Moses and the boys running around in the desert! 
  >     This problem just crept up on me during the past few months and I
  >     gotta do something fast.
  >
  >     Naturally, for me, a simple valve-seal repair isn't good enough. 
  >     Here's my chance to pop-in my new injectors, convert to rollers,
  >     and maybe even swap the heads!  Anybody know anything about
  >     McCoy's "Stage 2" heads, now on sale for $495 (a pair or each?)
  >     and why they're so much cheaper than the Stage 1s?
  >
  >     Anybody have any luck swapping-in ROLLER-ROCKERS, with new or
  >     reused pushrods, on a stock set of heads?  (I did a Crane-swap-out
  >     on my TTA many years ago-- Chevy self-centering units-- only to
  >     break 2 of 'em when my CPU or ignition system went berserk and
  >     misfired the whole engine and shredded my TCC....)
  >
  >     Thanx in advance,
  >
  >     D.O.
  >
  > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
  >
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